1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to devices for cutting mineral glass crystal material. In particular, this invention relates to a device for holding a watch crystal bezel pattern and a piece of mineral glass crystal stock, and for mechanically inscribing the bezel pattern onto the mineral glass crystal material blank so that a bezel shaped mineral glass crystal may be broken from the mineral glass crystal stock material.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Bezel-shaped mineral glass crystals, primarily for replacement into wrist watches and the like, have long been formed from mineral glass crystal stock blanks, of a variety of materials, including plastics, by inscribing the stock with, typically, a diamond point or scribe, with repeated scribing, followed by snapping along or machining to the inscribed mark, resulting in a rough bezel-shaped mineral glass crystal, which is then ground on appropriate edges to a final size and shape. The only alternatives to the above process have been to grind the edges of a mineral glass crystal blank from the raw blank to a final shape and size, or to order a replacement mineral glass crystal from the watch manufacturer.
While the device of the present invention does not appear to be related to heretofore known devices discussed hereinabove, it may appear that devices specifically adapted to other purposes, other than forming replacement bezel-shaped watch mineral glass crystals, may have relation to the present invention. For example, the common pantograph provides for following a pattern with a first stylus, with a second stylus tracing an enlarged, equal, or reduced image of the pattern traced.
Also related, at least in part, are the known mechanical devices developed to form duplicate keys for multiple tumbler locks. Such devices typically provide a driven rotating, thin cross-section grinding wheel. The key to be duplicated is placed into a holder such the it extends parallel to the axis of rotation of the grinding wheel. A key blank is placed into a second holding device, also parallel to the axis of rotation of the grinding wheel, such that the longitudinal directions of the original key and the key blank are the same and that any longitudinal grooves are substantially aligned. Both holding devices are rigidly coupled to a shaft, extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the grinding wheel, the shaft being capable of being pivoted about its longitudinal axis and translated longitudinally therealong. As the shaft is pivoted, the original key is brought into contact with a fixed stylus while the blank key is ground equivalently by the grinding wheel. Translation of the shaft along its longitudinal extent enables all tumbler notches of the original key to be ground into the blank key, forming a substantially exact duplicate key.